The start of school arrives and with it the homework. In some homes, homework has become a stressful and exhausting task for both parents and children, but does it have to be that way?
Homework is a responsibility of children and like all responsibilities they are acquired little by little, progressively. Through homework, children not only acquire knowledge , but also learn the value of effort, autonomy and that their actions have consequences, that is, they have the power to change the world. Also, children are intrinsically curious to learn !
Index
What do I do so that homework doesn’t turn into a horror?
Create a balanced routine
Homework must be part of the day to day, but for this there must be a balance between school hours, after-school activities, homework and free play time. If children arrive very tired from after-school activities, it will be very difficult for them to do homework. Many times it is worth reducing the famous extracurricular activities and increasing the time where they can play spontaneously and freely.
Have a relaxed atmosphere
To encourage homework to become a routine, children need to study in the same place with suitable conditions from a young age (although sometimes it is easier for us to study in the living room or in the kitchen because it will only take ten minutes and so we see him). Ideally, they should study in their room with a neat table and natural light .
Help them in the organization of subjects and times
It is very helpful to have a cork with your school schedule and a calendar. The school schedule will help us plan for homework and backpack for the next day. The calendar will help you to organize the study of the exams or the preparation and delivery of the assignments; as well as suitable school supplies.
We can start by seeing with him what tasks he has and help him organize. Taking into account that children reach their maximum performance after approximately 30 minutes , we can start with tasks of medium difficulty and then move on to a difficult one, leaving the easier ones for last. Whether the task is easy or difficult is determined by the child, since he is the one who knows what costs him more or less work. Concentration and performance begin to decline after an hour and a half, approximately, at which point a 10-15 minute break is necessary (never more than 30 minutes because they will lose concentration). The most important thing is that homework cannot be eternal, it must have a beginning and an end. It is just as important that they do not have, at least during that time, access to social networks or mobile devices, which capture their attention too much.
Let him make mistakes and value the effort
You go to school to learn and to learn you have to make mistakes, make mistakes. Therefore, we cannot do our children’s homework or correct them continuously so that they go with the correct result. We must encourage them to ask at school what they have not understood and above all, value the process, the effort. Material prizes to reinforce their motivation or improve grades are not worth it. It is worth realizing the effort they have made, the desire they have put into a certain job, regardless of the result.
Have a cooperative attitude towards the school
If we think that our child has a lot of homework or that they need different support, we can and should go to the school to talk to them, but in front of the child we will not add to their complaint. We will accompany you in the excitement of it, understanding that it is a “roll” to have so many homework and we will help you accept that for the moment it is like that.
On the other hand, we can talk to them and become interested in what they are studying , to search for information together on the Internet about something specific that interests them, search for related movies or interactive exhibitions, enhancing their previous curiosity.
Importance of emotions
For children to learn they need to be calm, a stressed, sad or anxious child cannot learn, neuro-biologically it is impossible . If we see that our son has a hard time with homework, that it takes a long time to organize, that he is always tired, grumpy or frustrated, talk to him, surely there is something behind that “I don’t want to do homework” and if necessary , ask for help, consult a professional.
Always remember that each child is a world with its own personal way of doing things, these are general recommendations, but only you, as a mother and as a father, know which ones are essential in your home and what is the best way to implement them.
Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.